Balancing act.Regarding the January cover story ("Redesigning women: Is the church's 'new feminism' a good fit?) by Renee LaReau, it is all great in theory that a woman stay home and raise a multitude of children. The women quoted in this article seemed to have no financial issues because of it. It has been my experience and that of my peers that in today's economy, a stay-at-home mother is not financially possible. Many of us do not have a six- or even high five-figure incomes, so once again the poor are not being considered. As a still-working woman and senior citizen, I can say from experience that a woman must be very, very strong and healthy to balance work and children. Any woman who can manage and balance her life in both worlds is to be admired and praised, not criticized for neglecting her family. Charlotte Bloebaum Portland, Ore. I am writing to say I appreciated the January cover story, as women's equality has long been a special interest of mine. I am firmly and thoroughly convinced of the equality of women and men, even though the hierarchy is not there yet. I believe women have a right and are gifted by God to define themselves. And they need to be included in decision-making leadership and higher level positions within the church as well as in the world. There is no balance without their perceptions and giftedness as equals. I do hope future generations of people will come to a new and growing awareness of gender equality. Patricia A. Federowicz Apalachin, N.Y. For me, feminism has nothing to do with my relationship to men, but rather my relationship to God. The so-called "new feminism New feminism is a predominantly Catholic philosophy which emphasizes a belief in an integral complementarity of men and women, rather than the superiority of men over women or women over men. " misses the real issue. The essential questions are, "What does it mean to be in the image of Christ (in persona Christi In persona Christi - a Latin phrase meaning "in the person of Christ" - is an important theological concept of the Catholic Church which refers to the action of a priest while celebrating a sacrament. )?" and "Who can so stand?" And this is where feminism comes in. Feminism, as I envision it, rejects limiting God's expression of Godself to people with male bodies. To insist otherwise is sexist sex·ism n. 1. Discrimination based on gender, especially discrimination against women. 2. Attitudes, conditions, or behaviors that promote stereotyping of social roles based on gender. and blasphemous blas·phe·mous adj. Impiously irreverent. [Middle English blasfemous, from Late Latin blasph . We women are made in the image of God. We, too, can image Christ. We have the same human dignity Human dignity is an expression that can be used as a moral concept or as a legal term. Sometimes it means no more than that human beings should not be treated as objects. Beyond this, it is meant to convey an idea of absolute and inherent worth that does not need to be acquired and as Jesus. Keeping us out of the priesthood priesthood Office of a spiritual leader expert in the ceremonies of worship and the performance of religious rituals. Though chieftains, kings, and heads of households have sometimes performed priestly functions, in most civilizations the priesthood is a specialized office. denies our humanity and our ability to embody God. Until the church recognizes that God created women in God's own image, all talk about femininity Femininity Belphoebe perfect maidenhood; epithet of Elizabeth I. [Br. Lit.: Faerie Queene] Darnel, Aurelia personification of femininity. [Br. Lit. and masculinity is pointless. Ashley Reynolds Hillsboro, Ala. |
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